Program and Publication Highlights from 2003

• Roots at the Ranch: A weekend seminar was held in spring 2003 on Kirk’s The Roots of American Order at the Reagan Ranch in Santa Barbara, California. Approximately 25 college students, including students from Pepperdine School of Public Policy, attended this event. Among the speakers were John Miller from National Review and Kirk Center Senior Fellow Gleaves Whitney from the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies.
• McConnell Seminar: The McConnell Center for Political Leadership came to the Russell Kirk Center in May 2003 for a four-day seminar commemorating the 50th anniversary of The Conservative Mind. The seminar was part of a new series that Director Dr. Gary Gregg originated in order to discuss the “Intellectual Origins of American Public Policy.”
• White House Tribute: On October 23, 2003, the White House Office of Public Liaison hosted “A Tribute to Russell Kirk.”
• Heritage Dedication: On October 23, 2003, the Heritage Foundation sponsored a luncheon to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Conservative Mind. A bronze bust of Russell Kirk was unveiled.
• New Edition: Publication was arranged with ISI Books for a new edition of Kirk’s The Roots of American Order, with a new introduction by historian Forrest McDonald.

Further details from some of these items are below. At right is a picture of Annette Kirk after the White House Tribute, with her daughters Andrea Kirk and Cecilia Nelson.

Heritage Foundation Dedication

On October 23, 2003, the Heritage Foundation sponsored a luncheon for eighty invited guests to celebrate the 50th anniversary of publication of The Conservative Mind. A bronze bust of Russell Kirk was unveiled and remarks delivered on the occasion by the Heritage Foundation’s Distinguished Scholar for Conservative Studies, Dr. Lee Edwards; Vice President for Development, John von Kannon; and by the director of the Simon Center for American Studies, Dr. Matthew Spalding.

Kirk delivered lectures on politics, literature, history, economics and culture at the Heritage Foundation over a period of fifteen years. Collections of these lectures can be found in two books currently available from ISI Press, The Politics of Prudence and Redeeming the Time.

The Russell Kirk Memorial Lecture series was inaugurated in 1995 by then–Michigan Governor John Engler. Subsequent addresses have been given by, among others, Spencer Abraham, Annette Kirk, Wilfred McClay, William Rusher, and Roger Scruton.

White House Tribute

On October 23, 2003, the White House Office of Public Liaison hosted “A Tribute to Russell Kirk—The Conservative Mind at 50.” The event, held in the Eisenhower Executive Office building, featured tributes by William F. Buckley, Charles W. Colson, George Nash, T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr., and Annette Kirk.

Watch for information on a publication containing these tributes.

 

McConnell Center Seminar

The McConnell Center for Political Leadership came to the Russell Kirk Center in May 2003 for a four-day seminar commemorating the 50th anniversary of The Conservative Mind. The seminar was part of a new series that Director Dr. Gary Gregg originated in order to discuss the “Intellectual Origins of American Public Policy.”

Two McConnell Scholars commented on their impression of the seminar. Susan Gaines said, “The Kirk seminar was by far the best program that the McConnell Center has ever sponsored.” Kelly Hanlon called it, “quite simply, one of the most important intellectual events of my life.”

Kirk Center President Annette Kirk noted, “It was wonderful to see such bright young people exploring serious ideas. The McConnell Center seems to be performing its founder’s mission in preparing the best of Kentucky to take on the future. It was a pleasure to be such an integral part of the national celebration of Russell’s most important work.”